Author
Topic: Are you talking to me? (Read 19769 times)

Hi, all! My name is Giraffe, and I’m a newbie. I’ve had a blast reading the entries, horrified at what some people think is acceptable, applauding your successes and good advice.

A friend of mine, MommyPenguin, introduced me to these boards when I went to visit her last summer. She reintroduced me to them this summer, again when I was visiting her.

So how fitting is it that my first story is about her?

She’s got two BabyPenguins, both under 3. I’d been there nearly a week (I live several states away, so I can’t just pop over for a day visit), relaxing and enjoying myself, but also trying to help out with the kids, so as to be a good guest. You know, playing with them, helping feed them, holding BabyPenguin1’s hand while MommyPenguin was carrying BabyPenguin2, etc.

We were exiting the house to go gallivanting (playground, into big city, I can’t quite remember the plan). I’m holding BP1’s hand, carrying water bottles, ready to load the van and buckle BP1 in, when I hear MommyPenguin say, in an exasperated tone, “Giraffe, your help is neither necessary nor appreciated.”

Complete. Silence.

....

Oh, btw, did I mention that BP2 is also named Giraffe? And she’s under a year old and was trying to play with the keys as MommyPenguin locked the front door?

The name thing sure was fun. I spent the week Giraffe was here calling both of them "Giraffe" and nobody ever knowing who I was talking to or about. By the end of the week I'd finally gotten in the habit of calling BP2 "Baby Giraffe," and now Adult Giraffe is gone and the habit continues when it doesn't need to. And it doesn't help that BP1 calls her doll "Baby Giraffe," either! I'll have to come up with some nickname for the baby, like, oh, Giri or something.

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Emily is 9 years old! 1/07Jenny is 7 years old! 10/08Charlotte is 5 years old! 8/10Megan is 3 years old! 10/12Lydia is 1 year old! 12/14

One girl in my class, I will name her Wombat to stay in the spirit of the Zoo names, was NOT an easy child to deal with. She would always push it and try to get away with not listening. So one day, after the so-manieth warning, on the playground, I say in a not-so-patient, firm, loud voice:"Wombat, come here THIS INSTANT!"

I look up and look in the shocked face of my young, sweet colleague whose name is also Wombat, and who couldn't believe I had just yelled at her, for no explicable reason, and had called her by her first name without "Miss" in front of the children! I said: "Oh, erm... I meant Wombat Kidslastname." and nodded my head towards said kid. Luckily Colleague Miss Wombat then saw the humour of it. I've seldom seen someone SO relieved.

This is one of the problems with naming their kids after their parents, too. My DH is a Jr., and once he did something - I don't remember what but it must have been serious because I never do this in public - and I did the full name thing DHFirstname Middlename Lastname. His father looked at me, somehow managing to blend startled and attentive in the same look. I'm sure I blushed as I backtracked..."No, my DHFirstname Middlename Lastname. Sorry!"

LOLOL awesome giggle - and even moreso because it involves penguins and baby ones at that

My husband and his dad have the same first name. He told me about the time he showed up to the homecoming dance at school with his date.....only to find TWO very irate girls standing at the front door waiting for him. You see, they had called his house, asked to talk to Paul, and asked Paul to go to the dance with them. "Paul" of course, said yes - to both of them. I asked how he handled the situation and he said "not being an idiot, I left all 3 of them there to argue it out and went home to have a little 'chat' with Dad. I also put the word out what he had done, so I got to have 3 separate 'make-up' dates ".

>sigh< he was a playa at an early age lololol

What a immature and cruel thing for his father to have done. Instead of having a date to the dance the girls were left angry and embarassed.

What a immature and cruel thing for his father to have done. Instead of having a date to the dance the girls were left angry and embarassed.

Agreed. It wasn't funny at all. Too bad the girls' dad didn't come to have a chat, en masse, with Paul Senior.

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My cousin's memoir of love and loneliness while raising a child with multiple disabilities will be out on Amazon soon! Know the Night, by Maria Mutch, has been called "full of hope, light, and companionship for surviving the small hours of the night."

Yeah, my DH was NOT a happy camper with the situation. This occurred in 1960-ish so the social norm at the time rather precluded the girls talking to Dad, that's why they took it out on DH. I sure wouldn't have wanted to be one of those girls!

OK, I was a little slow on the uptake with this one. I had to read down to your friend Penguin's post before I got it! Yeah that is funny. I was seriously thinking you have a very rude and horrible friend! But now I totally get why that's funny. That must have been a good laugh for you guys.

A few weeks ago, we visited the beach. Another family, with 2 girls about the age of mine, set up a bit down the beach from us. Of course my youngest (22 months), Little Miss Social Butterfly, had to go make friends. The other girls were building sand castles and LMSB (aka Little Miss One Woman Demolition Crew) got a little too close for comfort. So before she could smash her fist through the thing, I said, "LMSB, stop! No touch!" and led her out of reach.

cue startled looks from the other kid's parents. Apparently her name was LMSB too. And it appeared I was hollering at her.

I said "Oh! Mine's named LMSB too! I was talking to her!" Luckily, they thought the whole thing was funny.